A Psychologist looks at Scripture
In this 8-10 minute podcast, I as a psychologist and a priest use my training and skills to examine the Gospels. I will present alternative interpretations and insights into the meaning of Scripture for men and women in the 21st century.
I can be reached at peter.dohertyomi@gmail.com.
A Psychologist looks at Scripture
Mt 1:18-24 Dec 21-25 Dreams and the Divine: Pathways to Spiritual Growth
In this podcast today I will be focusing on the dreams that Joseph had. We don’t have much else on St. Joseph. We don’t hear much about him after the birth of Jesus. He is mentioned in the story of the finding in the temple when Jesus was 12 years old but that is it. We learn that Joseph was a dreamer. There are four dreams recorded, outlining what Joseph experienced. In Matthew 1:16, 18-20, an angel appears in the dream instructing Joseph to take Mary as his wife, in Matthew 2:13-14 Joseph dreams that they are in danger so decide to flee to Egypt. In Matthew 2:19-20 Joseph returns because in a dream he learns that it is now safe. He has another dream Mt 2:22 instructing him to live in Galilee. In each case Joseph makes a significant choice. I am wondering if our dreams may also have an important place in our spirituality.
Hello, and thank you for joining me on “A Psychologist Looks at Scripture.” I am Peter Doherty—a Catholic priest and psychologist—and I am pleased you can join me.
In this podcast, I draw from my background in psychology and scripture studies to provide fresh insights into the Gospels. Even though the Gospels were written 2000 years ago I try to apply the Gospels teaching to contemporary realties we are living. The Gospels consistently invite us to deepen our faith, find new wisdom, and grow spiritually. There is always something more to discover.
Each episode runs about 7 to 10 minutes. I know you are busy, so I keep my podcasts short. If you have time and are interested, please check out the earlier episodes listed on the podcast website and on YouTube. Thank you so much for being part of this journey! Your support encourages me to keep podcasting. Please let me know if you have questions and/or comments, they truly matter—they help this podcast remain relevant to my listeners.
Todays podcast focusses on Matthew 1:18-24 that will be released in Churches on December 21, 2025. In this passage we are introduced to Joseph the soon to be husband of Mary. Joseph is betrothed to Mary. Betrothal was more than just an engagement. Matthew uses the word divorce as an option for Joseph. Infidelity during a betrothal was the same as for being caught in adultery. Joesph was within his rights to demand a divorce which at best would have been humiliating for Mary and possibly life threatening. We have many examples in Scripture of women about to be stoned for infidelity. I urge you to check out the edition of this podcast published for December 17, 2023. In it I go into detail concerning the mission and contribution of St. Joseph.
In this podcast today I will be focusing on the dreams that Joseph had. We don’t have much else on St. Joseph. We don’t hear much about him after the birth of Jesus. He is mentioned in the story of the finding in the temple when Jesus was 12 years old but that is it. We learn that Joseph was a dreamer. There are four dreams recorded, outlining what Joseph experienced. In Matthew 1:16, 18-20, an angel appears in the dream instructing Joseph to take Mary as his wife, in Matthew 2:13-14 Joseph dreams that they are in danger so decide to flee to Egypt. In Matthew 2:19-20 Joseph returns because in a dream he learns that it is now safe. He has another dream Mt 2:22 instructing him to live in Galilee. In each case Joseph makes a significant choice. I am wondering if our dreams may also have an important place in our spirituality.
The purpose of dreaming is complex and multifaceted, with ongoing scientific debate regarding its exact functions. However, several established theories highlight dreaming as essential for emotional processing, memory consolidation, and threat preparedness. Dreams contribute to emotional regulation by offering a secure environment in which the brain can process intense or traumatic experiences during sleep. Additionally, dreaming supports memory consolidation by helping the brain reinforce significant memories while filtering out less relevant information.
Another prominent theory is that dreaming simulates dangerous or challenging situations to rehearse survival instincts and problem-solving skills, enhancing our mental readiness for real-life threats. In addition, dreams may foster creativity and problem-solving by allowing the brain to combine knowledge and visualize solutions in new ways. You have probably heard the expression “I will sleep on it.” There is evidence that there is truth behind this saying.
Some sleep aids suppress a stage of sleep known as Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep. Not all but most of our dreams occur in this stage of sleep. What is noteworthy here is that when these individuals stop taking the sleep aid medication they have what is called REM rebound in which they experience many more dreams than normal and those dreams are more vivid and intense. This further suggests that dreams serve an important purpose in brain activity.
Dreams are frequently recounted in the Hebrew Scriptures. We have Abimelech’s dream warning: Genesis 20:3, Jacob’s dream of the ladder to heaven: Genesis 28:12-15. He would later have subsequent dreams found in Genesis 31:11-24, and Genesis 46:2. There is Laban’s dream warning found in Genesis 31:24. Some of the most famous dreams are Joseph’s dreams about his brothers and his interpretation of others’ dreams: Genesis 37:5-11, Genesis 40:5-19, Genesis 41:1-45. Pharaoh’s dreams interpreted by Joseph in Genesis 41:15-32.
The list goes on and we also have Solomon’s dream where God appears and offers wisdom: 1 Kings 3:5-15. Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams interpreted by Daniel in Daniel 2, Daniel 4 and Daniel’s own visions and dreams found in Daniel 7:1-28. Other sources to mention include divine communication in Job 33:14-16 and Deuteronomy 13:1.
Dreams are well known in the New Testament too. We have Dreams involving Joseph, husband of Mary, regarding Jesus’ birth and safety found in Matthew 1:20, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:19-22. We have Pilate’s wife’s warning dream found in Matthew 27:19 as well as dreams and visions mentioned as prophetic gifts in Acts 2:17.
Joseph is considered the patron saint of dreamers. Saint Patrick is sometimes regarded as a patron saint of dreamers due to his own dream-inspired missionary calling to Ireland, but Saint Joseph is the most recognized patron saint specifically associated with dreams.
There is also Saint John who reported receiving frequent extraordinary dreams that were more like visions, involving rational conversations with guides and interpreters, revealing secret matters and foreseeing future events.
These scripture references reflect various types of dreams in the Bible, including prophetic, warning, interpretative, and divine revelation dreams.
Significant dreams did not only occur in the Scriptures. I have a short list of saints known for their dreams. The list is not exhaustive.
Saint John Bosco, founder of the Salesian religious order, frequently received visions of heaven through dreams, which he used to guide the young people in his care. His renowned “Dream of the Two Columns” deeply influenced his ministry. Saint Faustina Kowalska also experienced visions, including those related to divine mercy, which often appeared as dreams. Saint Teresa of Avila recognized the Holy Spirit’s presence in dreams and valued their spiritual significance in the soul’s journey.
It is safe to say that dreams have a role in spirituality. I don’t believe dreams are essential for spiritual growth, but their significance is worth exploring. There are misunderstandings about dreams that I want to point out. I don’t believe dreams predict our future. In most cases the dream simply reveals what we already know but were refusing to look at.
Numerous books adopt a "cookbook" approach to dream interpretation, assigning fixed meanings to symbols based on direct real-life correlations—for instance, flying as a sign of freedom or ambition, or teeth falling out indicating anxiety or insecurity about aging.
While acknowledging that dreams often carry symbolic significance, universal symbols lack strong scientific support and vary by individual context. Not all dreams hold divine inspiration; most reflect random neural activity rather than profound messages.
Recurring dreams or persistent emotions from dreams warrant attention, prompting reflection on current life circumstances. What is going on in your life?
Several years ago, I was having dreams about sitting on a pile of garbage. It wasn’t a pleasant dream, and I was having the dream frequently. I shared it with a friend of mine who was also interested in dreams and he said, “ It looks like how you are feeling about your job”. I was shocked. It suddenly made sense. I was in a job that was very frustratIng to me. There were many cliques and challenging individuals that created a difficult, and dysfunctional environment. Despite being there for two years I felt like an outsider. To make a long story short, I learned something about my self. I realized that the job was not a good fit for me. My denial of that obvious fact wasn’t helping. So, in conclusion, dreams can be useful in our discernment process, but they are not essential. It will take some reflection to fully benefit from them, but it may be worth the effort.
Thank you for joining me today.
Next Sunday, I’ll be sharing a new podcast episode on Matthew 2.13-15, 19-23, where we will hear more about Joseph and his dreams.
If you’re new here, I invite you to check out previous episodes on major podcast platforms or YouTube. And for my regular YouTube listeners, please consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with friends who love Scripture.
New episodes come out every Sunday, focusing on the week’s Gospel. Your feedback is always valued and helps our community grow.
A big thank you to Heather Patel Doherty and Richard Coulombe for their wonderful help in preparing each episode.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at peter.dohertyomi@gmail.com.
May God richly bless you!